The Image staff muses on the culture of keeping up appearances

Movember Wrap: U.S. ' 'stache-thletes' raise record $2.6 million for charity

December 1, 2009 | 11:11
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It's Dec. 1, which means "Movember" has drawn to a close, and the group mustache grow raising money and awareness for men's health issues (specifically prostate and testicular cancer research and treatment) has officially ended.

You can see all the totals raised here, but in sum, Australia (where the Movember movement first sprouted in 2003) topped donations, raising $14.9 million (in U.S. dollars), with the United States' collective efforts earning it a fourth-place ranking with $2.6 million raised to benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Lance Armstrong Foundation -- far behind Canada ($6.27 million) and the U.K. ($6.06 million). Canada? Really?

Despite the drubbing from our neighbors to the north and those across the pond, it's still more than double the $1.1 million raised stateside in 2008 -- and the 28,359 "mo bros" and "mo sistas" who signed on is a fourfold increase over the 7,000 from last year.

On a more local level, my ill-conceived mustache media throwdown against KNBC's Chris Schauble and his Mocasters team ended even more lopsided: They raked in $6,804 compared with Team Media 'Stache's anemic $885. To add insult to injury, at the same time Schauble also managed to squeeze in an Ironman triathlon and cultivate an envy-worthy lip hedge -- while showing his mug on the television the entire time.

So I salute you, worthy opponent, for accepting my good-natured challenge, and for your resounding win. Your prize -- a victory lap through the Los Angeles Times building (OK, the guided tour of the paper you requested if you won) awaits you.

In addition, for being such a class act (his first response to my challenge was to actually donate to the competition), I've decided that the kind of no-nonsense, stay within the lines, conservative corporate mustache we'd both been cultivating (and which both of us have since removed with no undue hesitation at the month's end) shall henceforth be known as "the Schauble."

I rest my lip.

-- Adam Tschorn

Photos: At top, "Today in LA" co-anchor, triathlete and, most recently, winner of the first annual Movember Media Mustache challenge, Chris Schauble sporting a mid-month "moutee" on Nov. 13 (although Schauble's circle beard pictured here technically violates the rules, he later explained that he grew it in this style prior to his Ironman effort in honor of his father who has worn his facial hair this way -- and is a prostate cancer survivor). Credit: KNBC screen grab by Rich Cruse for Chris Schauble. At bottom, Times staff writer Adam Tschorn with his Movember mustache pictured on Nov. 18. In honor of the lopsided victory, the pictured style of mustache will hencheforth be known around these parts as "the Schauble." Credit: Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times.